“Hello, my daughter. How have you been?”

After being blindfolded and tossed around the road, the moment Ann’s blindfold was opened, what awaited her was the villainess’ creepy and more villainous father. Due to the lightning around there area, (Former) King Rueben’s face looked very much like a ghost’s that Ann couldn’t help but slightly jump in fright.

His appearance now was even worse than the last time she saw him. Disheveled long hair and unkempt beard, thin body and slightly pale complexion… Exactly like how ghosts were depicted!

Ann was doing her best by only reacting with a slight jump of her body instead of screaming as if she was in a haunted house.

 

“I’m surprised to find you still unscathed despite your identity being revealed, but hmm,” King Rueben then proceeded on mumbling to himself.

Ann felt irritated and spontaneously blurted out, “And you’re crazy for doing that! Do you want me to die?!”

King Rueben snapped out of his mumbling and paused as he looked at Ann for a few seconds.

He chuckled as he said, “Of course not. You’re my one and only child. I’m just trying to leave you with no choice but to return to our side since you seemed like you were swayed by those bastards. I had no choice but to do that, you see, as you were too dumb.”

“I am not going to return to your side,” Ann was fired up because the other party insulted her even more.

“So, you’re willing to go against me… Against us, the only ones on your side?” King Rueben’s eyes turned harsher.

“Yes. And I am not alone on this side,” Ann said with certainty.

“Ha… Hahaha!!” King Rueben’s shoulders trembled as he chuckled, as if he had just listened to a really funny joke.

 

“What a joke, Anne, Anne. How can you be this dumb and naïve? They are simply using you to lure us out. They are never on your side,” King Rueben then said.

“You are wrong.”

“You think that if you cooperate with them, they’re going to let you live? You—my only descendant and the former royalty’s only princess? Haha!! What a joke!! I’m telling you, you will be discarded once they get rid of me,” King Rueben said.

Ann was quiet.

Indeed, she once thought of this hard situation she was in, and that she had no hopes of living due to this body’s bloodline, but…

But after experiencing everything so far and getting to know Allen and the others more, she was convinced that she’d be able to live.

Allen had started on finding ways to resolve this tricky situation about her body’s identity, and since the crown prince was his best friend, he wouldn’t disregard Allen’s opinion and offed her. Knowing both characters, they wouldn’t want to go behind each other’s back and be enemies. They would work together for the best solution, and she was willing to bet on them.

She knew she had hopes.

 

“They aren’t as twisted as you,” Ann gritted her teeth and said that.

“Me? Twisted?!” King Rueben’s eyes that looked at her contained hostility this time.

“Yes. That’s why, I don’t want to support you,” Ann resolutely said.

“Ha… Hahahaha!! You’ve been enjoying the fruits of my hard labor, and you dare say that about me, your own father?! Then what about them, those who incited the revolution and wrecked havoc to everyone’s lives?!”

“They are doing it for the greater good! If they hadn’t done that, you’re going to ruin this kingdom and its people more!”

“WHAT?!” King Rueben was shaking.

 

“They are the traitors, Anne, the evil ones! What’s wrong with you?! Don’t you remember that they are the very ones that killed your brothers… Your mother!! And they’re going after me this time! You’re really willing to forgive and help your family’s killers?! For the sake of the commoners, the strangers that won’t even care about you, and even rejoice on top of your death?!” King Rueben grabbed Ann’s shoulders as his bloodshot eyes stared at Ann.

Ann gulped because of this sudden movement and the frightening face of the man. She couldn’t say anything because truthfully speaking, if she was indeed the real Anne, she might not be able to make peace with this, as well.

What Rueben said made sense. It was Anne’s reality.

 

“Have you forgotten what they had caused you… what they had caused us to experience? The agony, the bitterness…?!” King Rueben finally let her go as he walked around, perhaps in order to calm himself down.

“I… I only realized a few things after I was away from you,” Ann tried to reason.

At this point, she couldn’t give the excuse of amnesia because when Rueben first saw her, Ann’s face gave it away that she recognized who he was.

Of course, how could she have forgotten the game’s main villain, after all?

 

“So you’re saying that this is my fault?!” Rueben turned around to stare at her with a spiteful gaze.

“…It isn’t too late to repent,” Ann said, although she knew that there was only a 0.01% he would agree with her plan and surrender himself to the current royalty.

Actually, if he did that and pleaded, the best outcome of it was that perhaps the former king’s faction would be exiled to somewhere far away and secluded, then monitored, instead of getting executed or simply imprisoned.

Among the people in this faction, there would surely be the relatives or friends or acquaintances of those in the current royalty’s faction.

Besides, if the current royalty showed compassion like that, it’d only add to their good rapport.

It was a possible future, if only this stubborn villain would agree…

 

“Haha! Anne, Anne… Oh, my stupid daughter. You’re too naïve! You really believe they’re going to let us live, as the blood of the former royalty? No, we’re all either succeeding or going down together. Even if you disagree with my way of ruling, we’re in this together. Why won’t you support me regain the throne? Once I am gone, it’s yours anyway! You can do as you see fit after that, hmm?” Rueben extended both of his hands towards her.

“…I don’t want it,” Ann truthfully answered.

“But you have no choice. Open your eyes!”

“I have another choice, and that’s what I am going to take!” Ann didn’t hesitate in defying Rueben.

 

Truthfully, Ann had the choice of pretending to agree to everything Rueben would be asking her of, but… But if her action was misunderstood by the current royalty’s faction, it would turn into a more complicated situation.

She couldn’t afford making the situation more precarious than before.

In any case, she still occupied the body of Rueben’s daughter. She could use this identity to her advantage as she knew he wouldn’t do anything to her.

 

“Hah… Hahaha… What am I going to do with this damned daughter of mine?! You’re making me crazy, Anne! We’re not getting anywhere, aren’t we?!” Rueben’s hysterical laughs snapped Ann out of her thoughts.

“…,” Ann only silently observed him.

Rueben circled around her once before stopping in front of her and turned his scary gaze towards her as he said with a low voice containing anger, “You left me with no choice.”

Before Ann could even process what was happening, she suddenly felt a burning pain as her body tumbled down due to the impact.

 

When she could process things, she realized that Rueben had actually taken out a whip and whipped her!!

He could do this to his own daughter, even knowing that this is his only remaining child?!

Ann was really shocked.

She thought she was safe and that the worst they could do was to imprison her and try to doctrinize her. But that was alright as she could wait and buy more time. She was certain that help would be on the way for her, but…

 

“A disobedient child has to be disciplined. Now, you can still change your mind and I will let you go,” Rueben lifted her chin and said.

Ann was seriously considering following his demands for now until she was rescued because she finally felt that she was at a danger here.

But before any word could escape her lips, another voice interrupted.

 

“My king, pardon me for interrupting, but I have been watching from the dark earlier and I think I can help.”

A male’s voice could be heard, followed by footsteps that echoed in whatever dark hallway she was in. Then, a black-hooded man appeared from behind Rueben. From what she could see, the man looked to be aged, not as old as Rueben, but definitely not as young as Allen. His complexion wasn’t good and his expression was scarier than Rueben’s.

The outfit looked familiar and when she observed it further, she remembered that the man was the dark magician that had interrupted her attempt back then.

 

“Blake. Of course, any help is welcome,” Rueben addressed the man and said.

“If you wish for it, my king, I can suppress her control over her body and I will make her do what you want her to,” Blake bowed down in respect to Rueben and asked for his permission.

Excuse me?! Don’t they know anything about consent from the involved party?!

Ann’s complexion turned worse when she realized what they wanted to do, but she couldn’t do anything to escape.

Her body was bound and there was a magic inhibitor put on her. She was basically powerless.

What about running?

Behind her were Ten and Four who stood by to guard.

In front of her were Rueben and Blake, the dark magician.

 

Not caring about her reaction, Rueben started laughing maniacally as he said, “Brilliant! Brilliant! Just what I need!! Do it, Blake!!”

Much to her horror, her body’s biological father agreed. She was treated without regards at all. She didn’t feel like she was his ‘beloved daughter’ as he had claimed her to be. She felt like she was merely a tool that was to be used at his disposal.

 

The dark magician, Blake, turned towards Ann and muttered something as he directed his wand at her.

Then, a dark mist appeared from around his body as it coiled around, then moved slowly to surround Ann’s whole body.

Ann could only watch in horror as her body was being shrouded in the dark mist that slowly entered her body afterwards.

To say that it felt uncomfortable was an understatement. She felt as if bugs were crawling around her body as her consciousness turned hazier.

Suddenly, a mixture of odd feelings that didn’t seem to be hers, started to well up in her heart, causing her to feel like she wanted to scream, but her body won’t obey her.

 

“Huh?!” Blake suddenly blurted out even while his dark magic still continued to take effect.

“What’s the matter?” Rueben asked. He had never seen Blake react this way after he had done something.

“This is odd… I felt like I had suppressed her consciousness and for a moment, I was in control. But now, I don’t feel like it’s working,” Blake was starting to be flustered.

“What?! How can that be?!” Rueben was worried that their plan won’t be able to succeed.

 

But Ann’s consciousness turned very hazy and she didn’t have any control over her body at all. She felt as if she was seeing everything before her as if she was just an observer. Like in a virtual reality. Like watching a television show while feeling so sleepy.

 

Then, her mouth moved on its own and let out a tone that she had never imagined herself say.

“Dear Father, what’s going on?”

 

It was then that Ann had a realization.

The moment her soul was suppressed, the real owner of this body, the former king’s daughter, Princess Arnestianne had reclaimed control over her body!!